


Trick or Treat

by Aithilin



Series: Halloween Week 2019 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Halloween Costumes, background NyxNoct, halloween week, seasonal fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-13 16:36:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21175730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aithilin/pseuds/Aithilin
Summary: Prompto's birthday falls on the first day of an Autumn Festival in Lucis.





	Trick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

> Day one for Halloween Week 2019

He had never been one for traditions. For sitting around a table with a cake in the centre, lit up with candles and surrounded with presents. His parents had tried through the years— surprises, careful plans, involving him every step of the way. The facts all boiled down to a very simple truth: Prompto did not like anyone making a fuss over his birthday. 

_Sorry, dude, I’m on candy duty._

_But it’s your birthday_, Noctis whined on his behalf through the text messages. He could picture it; his friend sulking over his couch, likely splayed out with a pout as he read through their conversation to find some ammunition to his argument. _We need to do something._

Prompto picked at the candy he had dumped loose into a bowl for the first night of the festival. The trappings and pomp of family gatherings that meant relatives he never knew sending him cards and gifts and expecting thank you notes weeks later. It meant his parents taking the time off work to refocus their world on him. It meant the thank yous and careful speeches of gratitude in front of his class, where he tripped over his own words while his classmates watched on with curious looks that turned easily to indifference. 

Noctis was the only one who never let up. 

_I am doing something,_ Prompto answered back, smiling as he just knew how frustrated Noctis’ sulk could be. He picked up another little candy from the bowl and sent out his message before unwrapping it from the colourful wax paper; _I’m on candy duty._

He knew, half the city away, Noctis was going to kill him for being difficult. He knew from experience that there was no secret party planned or event booked. Noctis wouldn’t do that to him— put him on the spot with all eyes turned toward him. But the last few years had been at the Prince’s place— movies with the guys, games, Ignis’ cooking a real treat (even if Noctis did take it as a personal insult when a salad was included). But this year… 

Prompto was doing exactly what he wanted to do this year. He had even convinced his parents that them taking the night out was the best gift they could give him. 

It was only the first night of the Harvest Festival, after all. He had a solemn tradition to uphold as the sun started to set early, and a knock at his door resounded through the house.

Gaggles of young children in costume appeared at his door— all dressed in various costumes. He had kept his camera ready, for the really good ones if the parents allowed, with a sheet to collect emails to send the pictures off to grateful new or harried parents. The first group was a set of preschool chocobos, guided around the neighbourhood by a familiar parent who grinned and accepted a piece of candy along with the kids. The second came on their heels— moogles and a behemoth, guided through the quiet houses with red poms glowing merrily above their heads in the fading autumn light. 

There were six of seven groups of young kids to arrive together, and Prompto was reminded of the parades of young, costumed children in school who visited classes when he was young. A cat, a dog, three children dressed together like naga. One group dressed up like a popular band— and six members making an admirable showing. 

He could hear his phone buzzing across the coffee table as he restocked the treat bowl from the bags his parents had bought. 

Three King Regis costumes guarded by a parental Shield interrupted his thoughts to check the messages Noctis was firing at him. 

With the festivities in full swing, he stayed by the door and watched the street. The city had decorated for the festival, schedules for local events posted at every post office and community centre though the park down the street was already bright with hanging lights and the golden glow of a carefully controlled fire. He could hear the cheers and music wafting down the street on the breeze, cheerful and echoing with the children’s chatter and laughter as they went door-to-door on their way to the park. Prompto smiled to his neighbours as their eyes met over the roving gangs of daemons and beasts and pop groups raiding them for candy.

There were the older children now— pop stars and movie characters. A handful of farmers and imps. And one group of teens joined by their own personal cerberus, though one one of three heads seemed to excited to tag along. Some stopped for candy while others kept moving to the nearby party with its colourful stalls and games, the ebb and flow of cheers for winners carried down the street. Teens started to leave their homes, joining the parade of costumes down to the park to see what the fuss was about.

His phone had stopped buzzing through the chaos. He almost wanted to take a break to check, to invite Noctis down to the park to see the games and stalls. To spend the night to watch terrible movies about ghouls. 

The last group to delve into his dwindling stash of candy was a set of Glaives, three Ulrics in the lineups that had Prompto nearly begging for a picture to send his friends. 

He took it with his phone, as the teens grinned at him and posed; one as serious and steady as a real Glaive, the others trying to mimic the action of the images shared across the news. He showed it to them before emailing it to them. And when they were gone down the street, he texted it to Noctis with a grin, ignoring the slew of texts he had missed. 

_Found your bf, buddy._

He heard the corresponding notice from another group coming up the walk. Three ghosts. Sheets draped over them rather than any real effort. The second notice of a text pinged around them, and Prompto smirked. “Guys, you can do better than that.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” the tallest ghost said, familiar gruff voice muffled by the costume. 

“These costumes took a great deal of effort,” offer the other. 

Prompto checked for more children as he ushered them inside. Then turned off his front light and set the candy aside. His friends were already pulling off their ‘costumes’ when he had turned around. Noctis beaming at him as if it was his most clever plan yet, and Gladio tugging the sheet from Ignis as they struggled not to let a box drop. 

“What are you even doing here?”

“It;s your birthday,” Noctis said as if that explained everything, sheet hanging up like a coat in the entryway. Shoes were set aside and Prompto caught a glimpse of the box in Ignis’ hands. 

“I said no presents this year.”

“As Noct would say,” Ignis smiled, heading straight for the kitchen to take stock of what he needed; “tough. You don’t happen to have any ice cream, do you?”

“Freezer, Specs,” Prompto sighed as they made themselves at home, pulled away from playing host by Noctis dragging him to the sofa. 

Gladio produced two movie cases from the pockets of his cargo pants, and set them out to choose from. While the remnants of the candy was spread across the table before Ignis called for help in carrying slices of cake through. There were no actual gifts beyond his friends crowding into the living room, the cake set safely aside in the kitchen to tempt them with slices throughout the night. 

When Prompto woke in the morning, it was to realize that he was using Gladio as a pillow, the other man awake and reading in the dim light on the sofa beneath him. Noctis’ arms were around his waist, the Prince’s head on his hip and Noctis’ phone open on the table still showing a conversation with Nyx interrupted by sleep. 

“Hey,” Prompto greeted softly, voice dry. 

“Hey,” Gladio returned, a smile as he turned the pages. “Happy birthday.”

“That was yesterday.”

“We’ll count today too,” Gladio marked his spot and closed the book; “Specs is making breakfast.”

“You could have got us up.”

Prompto move around on the sofa as he could. Noctis tightened his hold with a whine while Gladio stretched to steal the Prince’s unguarded phone. A picture was snapped and Prompto knew that smirk that crossed Gadio’s face; Nyx would wake to the awkward image of their sleeping pile.


End file.
